Long Weekend in Pensacola

We spent a long weekend in Pensacola visiting my stepson who is just starting flight school. We left Quincy with a dog sitter and flew down on Thursday morning. We met up with the girls and SIL Sean (who drove down with the dog) at Grant's house. After meeting some of his roommates, we checked into our condo on Pensacola Beach and then went out for a family dinner to one of Grant's favorite places, The Fish House. I had the grilled shrimp and it was sooo good!

The next day, mrC and I were up early thanks to the one hour time difference, so we went for a morning walk on the beach. He and I have a thing for sunrises!

Then we headed to his old training base, which is Grant's new training base for a little walk down memory lane. It's fun to see and hear about the places where his flying career started.  Two F35s were visiting and we got to see them up close. The pilots gave a walk-around presentation of the planes and answered questions. It was mrC's lucky day!!

Before meeting back up with the group, we stopped to grab something to eat. I picked up a watermelon cup from the grocery and a cup of tuna from Subway. 

We met up with the rest of the gang at the Naval Aviation Museum. Grant and one his roommates gave us an awesome guided tour. It was by far the best experience I've ever had visiting a museum!

Another group dinner, this time to The Oar House. I ordered grilled shrimp again. So good!

After dinner, the kids went to Grant's to visit the dog (he and his roommates were keeping him there because our condo didn't allow pets). mrC and I caught the sunset on the bay behind our condo. Ok, maybe we have a thing for sunsets, too.

My super smart husband planned the trip so that we would be there for Blue Angels weekend. The kids set up some canopies on the beach early Saturday morning and we walked about a mile to join them after breakfast. Since our condo had a fully stocked kitchen, we had grabbed a few staple items at the grocery the day before: eggs, strawberries and gluten-free toast.

It was perfect weather to hang out on the beach for the air show. Blue skies, sunshine and hot temps! 

We stayed in the water until they kicked us out when the Blue Angels were starting. This was my first time seeing the Blue Angels anywhere and it was incredible. I think the location was just the cherry on top.

After a day at the beach in the hot sun, we kept it simple and walked to Peg Leg Pete's for dinner. There was a bit of a wait, but they have a fun bar downstairs with license plates from all over the US lining the walls. For dinner I ordered the yummy Grilled Flounder sandwich!

After dinner, we took in another sunset...this time with the kids.

Sunday morning, we all met up for breakfast in downtown Pensacola. Our first choice was the Ruby Slipper, but there was a 90 minute wait. So we walked to The Garden to Pearl & Horn. The menu was small, but packed with a variety of yummy choices. I went for the Smash Burger and sweet potato waffle fries!

We split up so the kids could go take Ralph for a walk and we headed to Pensacola's first lighthouse. The plan was to walk up the 177 steps to the top to see the beautiful Gulf Coast from above. The spiral steps without a handrail on the inside was too much for me though! So we enjoyed the view from below and walked through the museum. 

On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Single Fin Cafe to share an acai bowl. The cafe was located inside Waterboyz, a surf and skateboard shop. It wasn't the best bowl we've ever had, but I loved the decor of the shop.

We had plans to do a sunset sail with mrC's friend, Dr. Bri. He used to take us sailing when we lived on Oahu, but like us he has also relocated back to the mainland...in Pensacola! Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, so we stayed docked in the marina. We still had a great time hanging out down below until the storms blew over and having the Tip Top crew back together again. 

 

Our departing flight wasn't until afternoon, which gave us time to enjoy a final morning on Pensacola Beach. It was so nice to be able to walk right across the street and see the beautiful white sand and blue water. To top it off, we saw a bunch of dolphins swimming right off shore! 

Our long weekend in Pensacola visiting Grant was the best!

3 Ways to Track Progress (without the scale)

The number one reason people come to me to learn the FASTer Way strategies is to lose weight.

The thing is...FASTer Way is a FAT loss program, not a weight loss program.

Ultimately, I spend a lot of time talking with my clients about Progress and what it really looks like. Today I thought I'd share three ways I encourage them to track progress that does not include using a scale.

1. Strength - being able to lift heavier and complete more reps is a sign of gains in strength. 

2. Endurance - being able to climb the stairs easier/quicker or keeping up with the kids/grands for longer periods of time is a sign of improvement.

3. How you feel - sleeping better and for longer, having more energy throughout the day, and clothes fitting better are signs of a healthier body.

If you are not seeing progress, do a habit check:

Is your nutrition on point? Plan your meals so that it is.

Are you getting 3-5 workouts per week? Prioritize sleep so you have energy and motivation.

Feeling unmotivated? Get an accountability partner or coach to check-in with and encourage you.

Want to work with me? Check out my 6 week client experience here!

Recipe Spotlight: Blueberry Baked Oats

Sometimes I see a recipe and I KNOW that it's going to be a WINNER!

I made two batches of these yummy muffins. The first time I followed the recipe from DC Food Porn exactly using air fryer, and the second time I added 1 serving of protein powder plus a little extra almond milk and oven baked.

All I can say is YUM!! These are perfect for breaking your fast or making ahead of time to take with you as a snack on-the-go.

BLUEBERRY BAKED OATS

Ingredients:

-1 cup oats

-1/2 banana

-1/2 cup frozen blueberries

-1 tbsp honey

-1 tsp baking powder

-pinch of salt

-1/4 cup dairy free milk

**optional 1 scoop FASTer Way protein powder -> also increase milk

Steps:

-blend ingredients together

-add to an oven safe container

-air fry at 350F for 10 minutes (or bake in the oven for ~20)

MACROS: 102g carbs, 9g fat, 13g protein, 13g fiber

Before putting in to bake, I added a few blueberries and a little granola for toppings! Soooo delish!!

Let me know if you try this one, too.

Don't Let Your Goals Drift Away on Summer Weekends

The holiday and weekend are wrapping up, but let's face it. Summer weekends are just getting started.

With get-togethers in full swing, don’t let your goals drift away. It’s easy to let a treat turn into a whole day of snacking or binging if you're not paying attention. Be mindful of consumption, especially empty calories in drinks, and plan out meals in advance as much as possible! You can still have fun and take steps towards your goals!

TRY THESE SIMPLE BBQ SWAPS:

• Choose a lettuce wrap instead of hamburger or hot dog buns
• Slather on mustard instead of mayo
• Try crispy roasted sweet potatoes instead of potato chips
• Satisfy your sweet tooth with summer berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) instead of cake or ice cream
• Bake a healthier treat without refined sugars/grains/dairy instead of a typical cake or cookies
• Drink sparkling water with citrus fruit instead of soda
• Make a big side salad full of colorful veggies instead of pasta salad
• Turn your regular burger into a yummy burger bowl! Ditch the bun, serve over a bed of lettuce, and add all your favorite burger toppings! (This is one of my FASTer Way favorites!)

Healthy weekends don’t have to be all about deprivation, because let’s be honest, that isn’t much of a weekend, right? Here’s the secret. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can find a balance that works for real life...even on summer weekends!

Recipe Spotlight: Berry Protein Smoothie

You need this smoothie recipe this summer!! ☀️⛱

We all know summer is busy and summer is hot! That's why this smoothie is perfect. It's simple and quick, but most importantly...it will cool you off.

Plus, if you're trying to rush out the door to this or that summer activity, it's packed full of protein, healthy fat and carbs to get you started on the right foot. 

🍓 FASTer Way Berry Protein Smoothie 🫐

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop FASTer Way vanilla protein
1 cup mixed frozen berries
1 tbsp almond butter

Blend and enjoy!!

Ingredient Notes: I like to buy a big bag of mixed frozen berries, but you can also cut and freeze your own fresh berries ahead of time. If you only have fresh berries, just add a handful of ice before blending!

Want to try more FASTer Way recipes? Download my FREE sample meal guide by clicking here!